Finding Faith in the Middle of COVID-19
By: Sharon Hughes
I’m sitting in my living room sipping a cup of warm tea while my two young boys enjoy an afternoon show and my eight-month-old snoozes calmly for her second nap of the day. There is a sense of peace within the walls of our home, but as of a week and a half ago, we’re living in the jolting reality of COVID-19. Schools are closed, restaurants are empty, and people are being laid off. The anxiety is palpable as we all wait to see how the unknown might impact our lives. Most of us are now acutely aware of (whether we like it or not) the words ‘quarantine’ and ‘social distancing.’
Right before COVID-19 was declared a national emergency, I was reading 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 which says:
“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.”
Little did I know the gravity these words would take on a few days later as COVID-19 swept rapidly across the globe. The reality of this deadly virus is not only a puzzling mystery, its dark invisible presence is filling people with deep anxiety and fear, and causing us all to ask questions about our future existence. We’re scrambling for solid ground, for hope, and for promise in these unknown days. So, what does it mean to be trustworthy stewards during this turbulent pandemic? What is our call as urban Christian women in such a time as this?
As a follower of Jesus, I’ve been asking myself how I might biblically steward this time well. Here are five points I’ve reflected on:
1. Fight for your identity
As Christians, we know that our only stable identity is in Jesus Christ. Justin Earley, in his book The Common Rule, writes:
“Each morning presents us with these questions: Who am I and who am I becoming? Each morning the scriptures answer the same, as God says, “ You are my child; and you are becoming like me. This is something to stand the day on.”
I am God’s daughter and the scriptures remind me of that. Yet, how often do I start the day by looking for connection on social media, affirmation in the news, or stability in the markets to answer these questions? It’s almost like I’m begging them to tell me who I am and what will become of me, before I go to my loving Father, who is my precious answer. And you know what? Those things always fall short. My heart will always be restless if I look in places that offer no lasting rest. During this crisis, allow the richness of God’s word to be the first voice that reminds you of who you are.
“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1)
2. Love your neighbor
Martin Luther King Jr., in his book Strength to Love, speaks of the good samaritan who stopped to help the wounded man on his way to Jericho. MLK echoes the call of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39) when he says:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others.”
In order to steward this crisis well, we must consider our neighbor. With the pressure to stockpile, have we thought about what our church or local organizations may need to protect the most vulnerable? Have we abided by the recommendations to protect the elderly? Have we considered aiding single mothers or those suffering financially? How has this crisis impacted immigrants, who make up a large percentage of the service industry, and how can we rally around them with the love of Christ? Who is in your circle, on your block, connected to your church, that you can reach out to with action and in love? Being a trustworthy steward during this outbreak means seeing beyond ourselves and loving our neighbor.
3. Find rest over fear
A global pandemic reminds us that we have little control. Despite what we sometimes think, we have little power over our lives and that can either produce deep anxiety or deep rest. Anxiety shows up when we feel like life rests on our shoulders. But Jesus calls us to surrender our lives, lay down our fears, and remember that He is in control. That sounds like an impossible task when jobs, health, and stability are at risk, but God promises grace to help us. The scriptures are full of regular people who found themselves in caves, in war zones and lion’s dens and somehow found peace, even joy, despite the grief of their reality. Why? Because true rest is found in the Lord and not in our circumstances. In faith, we hold onto Micah 7:7 which says,
“But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation and my God will hear me.”
Grace delivers us from fear and allows us to choose rest.
4. Pray
There’s nothing sweeter than when my children come to me and tell me about their day, openly share their fears and anxieties, and let me in on how their little minds are spinning. Nothing they could say or do would cause me to turn away. Even more so, our Father God wants us to do the same. Yesterday, I was walking outside and was overcome with emotion at this new reality. I felt the burning tears roll down my cheek, the worry creep up and I became overwhelmed. As daughters of God, we can climb onto our Father’s lap in prayer and share all that is on our hearts. We can name our painful emotions. We can sing songs of praise. We can cry out to God for protection over our loved ones and those suffering in the world. And we can pray for restoration in the hearts and minds of those who don’t yet know Jesus. This global pandemic reminds us to take everything to God in prayer.
“Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” Psalm 116:2
5. Take Heart
As I’m finishing this article, my family just spent some time in morning prayer and worship. We sang “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus. O, for grace to trust him more.” As we look to the life of Jesus who took on sin through death, who suffered in our place, who was buried and raised to life to offer eternal life to us, we have hope. Whether COVID-19 is short lived or brings destruction in ways unimagined, we can cling to the crucified Christ, our Savior, who embodies restoration and redemption for the world.
Despite this profound new reality, remember we have a fiercely loving God who is tenderly speaking to us through his word, who passionately loves us more than we know, who cares deeply for the vulnerable and who is calling us to intentionally steward this season. So dear sister, in the midst of COVID-19, be trustworthy stewards for God’s name and for his glory. Amen.
